Friday, June 19, 2009

There were few pilot wannabe contacted me regarding various issue on how to become pilot especially regarding the procedures..

These are some new info..

1. MARA Loan for Pilot ProgrammeThe status of pilot loan is ON HOLD.. MARA are out of budget to give out loans for private pilot. The last interview conducted for pilot loan was on February 2009. Since then, there were no news of upcoming interview.

MARA officers said that the Pilot Loan are on discussion. The Pilot Loan may or may not continue, it all depends on the minister and MARA (for this, we can only wait). If the Pilot Loan continue, I will update about it here. So, keep in touch!

2. Medical Check-up (Vision Test)For those who might ask what is this.. The test consist of several tests.

Vision Test : You stand up about 3 meters away from the alphabet chart (the one that have letters, big one on top until small one at the bottom. If you can read the smallest one without spectacle, you pass!!

Color Blind Test : A book consist of color dots. You will be ask to read out numbers or objects in the dots. If you can read them all correctly, you pass!!

Eye Test : It's not a test actually. The doctor will look into your eyes. He/She will determine that your eyes is healthy (no glaucoma, no catarac). This one is the easiest test.. Just sit back and relax.. you pass if the doctor says you pass!!

3. Bank LoanSurely, if MARA don't give out loan. We'll be heading to banks.. be it MAYBANK, PUBLICK BANK or what so ever.. but please consider these factors before you make bank loan.

a) pay on the dot : you must pay the monthly installment starts from the first month you got the loan.

b) how much you can loan : depend on your 'penjamin'.. if he/she have an income around RM2500 and age below 45years old, you might get a loan of RM50000..The idea is, the more income you have, the more loan you can get (the more installment each month too)

c) try to avoid bank loan : mortgage or sell house, car, gold, land.. (depend on your family).. be sure to take them back after you have work..

4. FlyDamnIt.comFlyDamnIt.com is currently closed forever.. due to some people think that the info provided by the website is too deep (kind of leaking out company secret info and data)..

I almost forget that I took these pictures..just refreshing some memories..it was the time when we (me, my roommates and our neighbour roommate) plans on doing something 'best' to fill our time since the final exam was finish.. So, we came out with the idea of prisoners.. I took it to another level.. Psycho prisoner..

“So, the next names should raise their hand too, it’s easier for us to notice you”

Then, a captain came and introduced himself as Captain Sukdavesing

(hope I spell it correct) the instructor of the simulator..

He lead us to the simulator.. The first glance of the simulator really hit my nerve.

Feeling happy to see the gigantic machine live in front of me..

I jumped up so high until I hit the roof of the 2 storey building (in my imagination la)..

I give it a flying kiss for real (the macho way ofcourse)..

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there are 5 simulator at AirAsia Academy

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My love, here I come.. the captain was giving us all the explanation while

I was ‘falling in love’.. He explained to us as if we are his new FO (First Officer)..

Stepping inside the, simulator made me feel like stepping into the future..

I sit at the right sit, the FO’s seat.. Never to seat at the captain’s seat until I’m one..

or being forced to seat there..

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this is the one that I 'fly'

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Captain Sukdavesing explained about the cockpit and few of the instruments..

Informing that we’ll be flying from WMKK to WMKK,

meaning that we’ll be flying the A320 from KLIA to KLIA.. Just fly above KL area..

before taking-off, I talked to the ‘captain’,

Haansel on the headset as if we were really pilot..

Haansel is the ‘captain’ and I’m his FO..

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"You have control, I have communication.."

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The take-off was good.. smooth and steady..

I knew that he has experienced the home simulator

from the way he handled the joystick and the throttle.. I called out the

“100 knot.. V1.. Rotate..”

“I think you’ve done your homework man”

During the flight, I asked the captain a lot of questions.. Even I can’t remember them.. when he explained it to me, I helped him to translated them for Jack Kee’s mom.. Captain Sukdavesing was using pilot language, I made it easier for her to understand since she always crooked her forehead for co-sign that the captain said.. for example

“Here you can see the ILS on the runway. It is much clearer in the night”..

I translated for her

“ILS is those color dots on the runway and

at the left and right side.

Helps pilot to maneuver the aircraft in line for landing”

and then she goes “Ooo”

During level flight (fly in same altitude – zero incline), I took the control of the aircraft.. Catain Sukdavesing said, you control now and bank in around the KLCC building..

then I replied

“I have control”..

The feeling as so tremendous.. Laying my hand on the joystick..

banking the aircraft 30 degrees to the left, using semi-autopilot

(computer giving guide using the instrument panel, I follow that given direction)..

Saw the KLCC and Kuala Lumpur from above inside a cockpit..

Amazing feeling.. I asked the captain

“So, sir.. Can I come here every weekend and practice in this?”

“That, you should ask the management”

After a while, then I switched place with Hansel brother.. He seem to be funny on controlling not like his brother.. The the captain goes

“Relax a bit la maccha, don’t get nervous”..

We all laughed when we heard that, the standard English speaker turned

out to use Tinglish (tamil +english).. Who ever thought of that thing would happen..

Then, Jack Kee have the control for landing..

The hardest part for a flight, the captain became his FO and

helped him to do the landing.. The landing part was for Jack Kee to be done.

A bit bumpy landing, but no skid.. That’s a good news for him for his first flight..

I clapped my hands for him, bringing us down safely..

And that was the end of our simulator session,

and I asked for the captain to do the evaluation.. He said this

“You and you can go for pilot, you both have good control”

while pointing at me and Haansel..

“You not good enough because a bit tense”

pointing to Haansel’s brother..

“And you can go for pilot in 3-4 years to come, need some practice”..

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Before leaving the simulator..

I thanked the captain for the experience and the knowledge that he gave to me,

it might be a 45 minute flight but for me it’s a pusher..

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Captain Sukdavesing and me (pilot wannabe)

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Pushing me to chase for my dream to become pilot..

I hug him for his sincerity to teach me and answer all of my questions.

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Part 1

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Part 2

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It’s good to ave new experience and at the same

time meet new friend who wanna be pilot too..

We did a little chat and changing contact number and emails..

Hopefully Haansel (No. 23) and I (No. 7) got through “So You Wanna Be A Pilot?” competition..

we even studies for physics, additional math and English as a preparation for the interview (our guess)..

Please have another Lucky Draw for Simulator in theAirAsia Culture Carnival 2010.. hmmm.. And that’s the story of AirAsia A320 simulator that I experienced..